


The Prince in the Tower

by HariWrites



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/M, Magic, Quests
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:42:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23426434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HariWrites/pseuds/HariWrites
Summary: With a fantastical tale, a map and a poem, innkeeper's daughter, Marinette is chosen for a quest. She must free Prince Adrien from captivity and release his kingdom from its curse.Fairytale AU
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 23
Kudos: 53
Collections: Left To Write Secret Santa





	1. Once Upon A Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ZiriO](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZiriO/gifts).



> This tale is a gift for the inimitable [ZiriO](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZiriO/pseuds/ZiriO/works). For such a magical weaver of stories, I knew I'd have to create something special for her. I hope you enjoy this, Ziri <3

“Once upon a time, there lived a handsome prince. Kindhearted and brave, he was a loving and worthy prince, but his father, the King, was not. King Gabriel was cruel and unforgiving, and he ruled his kingdom and his household without sympathy. 

“One day, a traveller came to the palace. He was tired and hungry and need a place to rest. The man asked the king and queen to help him. King Gabriel was rude to the traveller and sent him away. What he didn’t know was that that was no ordinary traveller. He was a wizard who cursed the kingdom.”

“What happened to them?” Marinette asked, her voice hushed in awe.

“Queen Emilie was bewitched. She sleeps an endless sleep from which none can wake her,” the old man said. “I’m told that the prince was locked away in the castle for safety.”

“And the king?”

“Alas, he did not learn his lesson. Instead, he grew more hateful and lonely. He has one indentured servant, Nooroo –bound to him by magic even the wizard could not undo– who does his bidding. The queen’s handmaiden, Nathalie, stayed out of loyalty. Beyond that, King Gabriel is alone, cursed to stay that way until he learns to show kindness.”

She topped up his drink, being careful not to spill mead on the table. It left sticky marks that were hard to clean, and her father prided himself on running the cleanest, most welcoming inn in the town.

“That’s a sad story,” she observed.

“That’s not the end of the story. You’re forgetting about someone. Someone who is oft overlooked.”

“The prince?”

A smile. “Indeed. You see, _he_ is the rightful ruler. Queen Emilie was Queen by blood so Prince Adrien is next in line for the throne but Gabriel was too proud to allow his son to take over. He said that because the Queen is merely enchanted, the normal line of succession doesn’t count. The people were grieving so they didn’t question him.”

“That’s so sad.”

“Yes. And an injustice that must be righted.” 

Marinette placed the jug on the table, entranced by the story. “How do you know all of this?”

The old man chuckled and rubbed at his chin, smoothing down his greying beard. Instead of answering, he took a bite of bread and washed it down with a swig from his cup. Finally, he leaned back in his chair.

“My dear, that might be a simple question, but the answer is not nearly so straightforward. I know because I was there.”

“That seems quite straightforward.”

“Ah, yes. If that was the end of it. You see, there is a reason I’m _here_ , telling this story to you.” Marinette leaned forward, eager to know. “You are the only one who can save Prince Adrien from the castle and help him fulfil his destiny.”

“Alright, Fu,” Tom boomed. “Marinette has chores upstairs so I need you to stop filling her head with nonsense.”

“Aaaawwwww!” Marinette and Mr Fu chorused.

“I know. Mr Fu will be back here next week, though Mari. You can hear more of his fantastical tales then.”

As Tom made his way amongst the other patrons, chatting to each and ensuring they were all comfortable, Marinette turned back to Fu.

“Are they just stories?”

“No, my dear. Every word I told you is true.” He slid a folded parchment across the table. “If you can’t rescue Price Adrien before midnight on his sixteenth birthday, he will be trapped in that castle forever.”

“When is that?”

“Three days from now.”

Marinette gasped. “The palace is a two-day walk from here! How can I help him?”

Fu was unperturbed. “My horse can do it in one, she knows the way.” He winked and picked up his tankard and went to speak to another patron.

Marinette considered chasing him and asking what he meant by that but her father placed a hand on her shoulder and reminded her that chores were waiting for her upstairs. Reluctantly, she put the parchment in her apron pocket and went upstairs to sweep out the fireplaces and set the fires for the guests. By the time she’d finished, it was time for bed. Marinette washed up, went to her room and put on her nightdress. 

That was when she remembered the paper in her pocket. 

Unfolding the parchment, she sat on the edge of her bed in shock. It was a map of the royal palace. It showed everything inside the walls, the route through the forest to get there, and even a secret passageway to get into the palace without passing the guards. Under the map was a drawing of a banner with an odd little poem inside.

_To break a curse as strong as this_  
_will require a true love’s kiss._  
_Next, an act of bravery_  
_Defeats King Gabriel’s knavery._  
_To free the kingdom, raise your arm_  
_and speak these two words: ‘lucky charm’_

It was curious. Why would he give her this? Did he truly believe _she_ could rescue the Prince?

⭒*⭒*⭒

By dawn, Marinette had forgotten all about Mr Fu’s fantastical tales and the map was safely stowed back in her apron pocket. After cleaning the rooms, she went into the stables to muck out the stalls. Mr Fu’s red bay horse, Tikki was still there, even though Marinette knew he had already left to continue his travels.

“Hello, Tikki,” Marinette spoke softly to the horse. “Why are you here?”

She stroked her nose, noticing the patch of black on her forehead. It was unlike Fu to go anywhere without his horse, much less on the journey through the forest to Marianne’s house, which was where he said he was going this week. Odder still was the package resting on the wall of the stall. Her name was on it.

She tore open the paper and found a mahogany box containing a signet ring. A note inside was scrawled in Fu’s spidery writing.

_Tikki will help you reach the Prince in time. Please give him this ring as a birthday gift with my regards._

Her brow crinkled. She could sneak back to her room, pack for the journey and be out before her parents questioned anything; if she wanted to. 

_If_ she believed everything Fu told her. 

Did she?


	2. In a Land Far, Far Away

Her parents were serving breakfast to the last of the guests. If she was going to go, this was her chance.

Was she seriously considering this? She had no way of knowing if anything Fu said was true. Mr Fu told her many stories, each one as unbelievable as the next —why had this one lingered? Was it the map? It seemed authentic, but Fu could have made it himself. He could be playing a trick on her. 

And yet, she was sure it was true. Felt in the deepest part of her gut, knew it in her heart. 

There was another kingdom on the other side of the forest, one shrouded in mystery. Years ago, merchants from that place stopped at the inn on their way to market, travellers rested in the guest rooms and knights tended to their horses in the stables.  _ Once upon a time. _ No longer. Now, visitors from that place were scarce, nobody spoke of what happened there. 

Was it truly under a curse?

Prince Adrien. His was the name her heart sang to her when she stopped to consider this quest. He was roughly the same age as her, though that was where their similarities ended. Life at the inn was simple, nothing like the luxury of a palace, but she had her family beside her. They worked hard together. Her parents loved and supported her, they encouraged her love of sewing and drawing, they gave her the freedom to roam the village when her duties were done. Prince Adrien was locked away, his mother enchanted, his father’s heart hardened. Who did he have to help him?

A small voice, that existed only in her head, whispered,  _ “He has you.” _

Tikki whinnied gently and nudged her saddle and bridle. Marinette nodded, time was of the essence. Her decision was made. The horse bent her head low, standing still to allow Marinette to tack her up quickly.

Marinette grabbed a scrap of paper from the discarded packaging and scribbled a note to her parents. As she wrote, assuring them that she was safe, and would return in a few days, she wondered how true that was. She propped her note against her father’s heftiest rolling pin where it rested next to a bowl of proving dough, and snuck a loaf of bread, a small jar of jam and a stoppered jug of water into her satchel. On the tips of her toes, she crept back out into the stables. 

Her stomach churned with guilt at leaving and regret at not hugging her parents goodbye. Tears pricked her eyes. Marinette pulled on her cloak and pulled the red hood over her hair, fighting the urge to turn back before she had begun. Tikki nuzzled her cheek, seeming to know how she felt. 

“Thanks, Tikki,” Marinette said, resolved. “Let’s go.”

On silent hooves, Tikki walked out of the stables, Marinette guiding her by the reins. Once they were clear of the inn, she mounted her travel companion and they set off at a trot towards the forest.

It was still early, few people were out on the streets. Nobody who saw her recognised her. On Tikki, with her hood up, no one considered that she might be Tom and Sabine’s young daughter. They saw a stranger instead.

At the edge of the forest, Tikki faltered. Marinette stroked her mane.

“It’s okay, girl, I’m here.” Could horses sigh? It felt like Tikki had. She lifted one hoof and hesitated. Marinette held her breath. Then, she stepped over the threshold, onto the dense forest path. “Good girl, Tikki.”

Once they reached a wide path, Tikki broke into a gallop. Marinette held herself low against Tikki’s back to avoid being clipped by low-hanging branches. She gripped tightly as the steed followed her course towards another kingdom. Mr Fu was right, Tikki did know the way. At every fork in the road, she took the correct route without pause, charging deeper into the thicket. The trees were a green blur and wind whipped through her cloak, chilling Marinette despite the warmth of the day.

Marinette had become used to the steady rhythm of hooves on gravelly ground, her body was growing accustomed to the movement of Tikki’s body as she galloped. When she stopped, it was like waking suddenly from a dream. Marinette blinked in the mottled light that shone through the canopy of leaves.

On the path in front of them, blocking the way, was a large red fox. It paced the ground with such a calm purpose that Marinette thought it seemed almost human. 

Except, that would be ridiculous.

Then, it spoke.

“Welcome, traveller.”

Marinette almost fell off the horse in shock.  _ The fox was speaking to her and she could understand it. _ It would be ridiculous to reply, surely? It would be rude to not. “Uh, hello?”

The fox bowed its head. “I am Rena Rouge, and I seek only the truth. What do you seek?”

“I, uh, I seek to rescue Prince Adrien.” 

“Brave stranger, you are on the right path. To proceed on your quest, you must answer these questions three,” Rena said. “First, tell me, maiden, are you true of heart?”

“I am.”  _ Am I? _

The fox nodded. Apparently, she was. “Are you worthy?”

Marinette didn’t answer. She was the daughter of innkeepers, not as worthy to rescue a prince as a knight or noblewoman. She was there because Mr Fu told her she was the only one that could rescue him, did that make her worthy?

“That is my second question, maiden. Are you worthy?” Rena repeated.

“No,” Marinette said, finally. “I’m not worthy of royalty, I’m a simple girl from a poor family. I just want to help.”

“I can see that you are brave and selfless, that is worth more than riches.”

“Thank you.” Marinette’s cheeks warmed at the fox’s kind words. She didn’t feel brave or selfless, she only wished to stop the prince’s liberty from being permanently taken from him; she was here because she could help him when he couldn’t help himself.

“My final question, maiden. Are you prepared for what’s to come?”

As Rena spoke, Marinette realised that she hadn’t considered  _ how _ she was planning to rescue him, or even if she could. The hairs on her arms stood up, but it had nothing to do with the chill in the air. Marinette swallowed heavily.

“I have no idea what is to come, Rena Rouge. Yet, I am prepared to do all I can.” Marinette’s voice quavered, betraying her concerns.

The fox stared at her, her eyes seemed to look into Marinette’s soul. What was she seeing? Rena blinked slowly, satisfied. “That is the truth. You may continue your journey.”

Marinette sighed, relieved that she had passed this test. As she took up Tikki’s reins again, a thought occurred to her.

“Rena Rouge? May I ask you a question?”

Smiling, the fox nodded. “You may.”

“Do you know what I shall face? When I reach the kingdom, what will I find?”

The smile disappeared, replaced by a frown. “You will find a kingdom changed. King Gabriel’s darkness rests over the palace, his courtiers are heavy-hearted. Prince Adrien is alone in the most remote part of the castle; his closest allies were banished by sinister magic. You will need more than courage to defeat the King, you will require wit and imagination.”

Listening intently, Marinette tried to remember every detail. “Thank you.”

“One more thing, maiden,” Rena said. “A gift. Sometimes a little cunning and deception are required.”

Marinette felt a weight around her neck and reflexively touched her throat. A pendant now hung there from a gold chain. On closer inspection, it was orange and white, and looked like a foxes tail. “Thank you, Rena. I…”

“Good luck, fair maiden.”

As quickly as she appeared, Rena Rouge disappeared. Had she not been wearing a necklace as proof, Marinette would never have believed she had just had a conversation with a fox. It was such a strange and mysterious thing to happen, what else did this journey have in store?

⭒*⭒*⭒

The sun was high in the sky when Marinette and Tikki reached a clearing. A crystal river bubbled over rocks beside lush green grass, strewn with daisies and clover. It was the perfect spot to stop and rest. Tikki had been charging forward all morning, she needed water and to graze. 

Marinette dismounted and stroked Tikki’s nose. “Let’s take a break, girl.”

With a whinny and a shake of her head, Tikki agreed. She trotted happily towards the river and drank noisily. Marinette, stiff and numb from hours on a saddle walked up and down the banks of the river, stretching her muscles. The water, however, was so clear and fresh, it was too tempting to ignore.

Kneeling by the water, upstream of Tikki, Marinette scooped up handfuls of the cool liquid. It was so refreshing that it took her a few moments to notice a freshwater turtle basking on a stone nearby. The markings around its eyes almost looked like spectacles. 

“Hello, little turtle,” Marinette said. 

“Hey there, dudette. Pleased to meet you,” the turtle replied.

Marinette’s shock was lessened by the knowledge that she was wearing a talking fox’s magic pendant around her neck. This was certainly the oddest journey she’d ever been on. “Um, you speak, too?”

“Of course I do! I used to be human, after all.”

“You did?”

“Woah, I guess you don’t know too much about where you’re headed, huh?” The turtle tilted his head and stared at her.

“I suppose I don’t. All I know is that Prince Adrien needs help, that time is running out to release him from captivity, and that there’s some sort of curse on the kingdom.” 

“That’s turtle-y it. You can call me Carapace, by the way.”

Marinette held her hand out to Carapace. He lifted his claw and seemed to shake her hand with it. “I’m Marinette.”

“Sweet. If you’re going into the palace, can I offer you some advice? My man Adrien is trapped there by more than a locked door. If you can release him, though, that’s your best chance to defeat King Gabriel.”

“Thank you, Carapace.”

The turtle nodded. “No problem. I hope you’re successful. Adrien doesn’t deserve to be locked away, he’s a good dude.”

“Did you know him? When you were, uh…”

“Human?” The turtle interrupted. “Sure. I was his footman, but we were friends as well. After the visitor bewitched Queen Emilie, the king turned to some kind of dark magic to try to bring her back. As his frustrations grew, so did his power. Anyone who tried to help Adrien out of his tower was transformed into an animal and banished from the kingdom. I was the second to go, after his best friend, Duchess Chloé. I’m sure I wasn’t the last.”

Marinette thought again about Rena Rouge. “I’m sure you’re right. And thank you for telling me, I’ll be on my guard.”

She dusted the grass and dirt from her skirt as she stood up from the riverbank. If she wanted to reach the palace by nightfall, she had to continue her journey. Turning back to Carapace, she saw that he was holding a blueish stone on a cord in his mouth. That definitely hadn’t been there before, had it? She reached out carefully and took it from him.

“This is for you,” the turtle told her. “It’s for protection. We don’t need you to be transformed into a bug or anything.”

“Thank you, Carapace, for all your help.” Marinette tied the leather cord around her wrist and examined the stone. It was carved into the shape of a turtle; she smiled. “I’ll never forget you.”

It was as if Tikki knew she was ready to resume their journey. When Marinette approached the horse, she stopped grazing and bent her head low so that Marinette could grab her reins before mounting the saddle once more. Before they left, Marinette looked back to where the turtle still sat on his rock. She waved, and Carapace gave her a little salute in return.

So, King Gabriel was using magic to keep his son captive, and he was using it against anyone who might be an ally to the prince. Grief could make people behave in many ways, Marinette was sure he’d be willing to try anything to wake his wife from her sleep. Why had he locked his son away, though? Prince Adrien must be grieving, too. 

That thought drove her onwards. As the day drew on, Tikki charged forwards, galloping once more through the forest. Heat from the horse’s body and the afternoon sun mingled, making Marinette feel warm and uncomfortable. She wanted to stop and rest, but knew that they still had a long journey ahead. Once they reached the edge of the forest, they could sleep and prepare for the following day.

She still had to get into the palace. The map showed her where to go, but until she got there, she wouldn’t know how easy that passage was to find or what else she might face. Would there be guards waiting for her on the other side?

Deep in thought, the afternoon soon ended. The coolness of the evening was welcome and Tikki slowed her gait, allowing Marinette to enjoy the view. The dense forest began to thin. The palace slowly came into view.

Renewed foreboding washed over Marinette at the sight of it. High windowless walls were surrounded by murky water. In the farthest corner, a tall tower overshadowed everything. She had expected luxury, instead, the palace exuded an air of misery and darkness. 

Shivering, Marinette turned back to Tikki who was grazing at a patch of grass. Her stomach rumbled —it had been hours since she last ate— and Marinette found a comfortable spot under a tree to eat her bread and jam. She leaned back against the trunk and soaked in the last of the sun’s rays as she ate. Birds twittered in the trees, leaves rustled and somewhere, a bee buzzed lazily. Marinette cast a concerned glance towards the castle, but her view was blocked by a low-hanging branch.

A bee was staggering dizzily along the branch so Marinette scooped a dollop of jam from the jar and placed it gently in its path. The bee tottered towards the jam and ate daintily. Marinette watched with fascination as the little insect devoured the sweet strawberry jelly, its strength growing visibly with each tiny nibble.

When the jam was gone, the bee reared up on its back legs and crossed the other four impatiently over its thorax. It looked straight at Marinette.

“Um, excuse me? I appear to be out of jam.” A high pitched, yet commanding voice emitted from the bee.

“Oh, sorry, would you like some more?”

“Obviously,” the bee said.

Marinette scooped a larger blob of jam onto the branch and the bee huffed loudly before continuing to eat.

“Are you… Did you live in the palace? Before you were a bee?” Marinette asked, hoping to confirm Carapace’s story.

The bee stopped mid-bite. “ _ Live in the palace?! _ I didn’t just  _ live _ in the palace! I was Prince Adrien’s best, most close friend!”

“Duchess Chloé?” Marinette said in a whisper. 

“Well, at least you’ve heard of me. I go by Queen Bee these days.”

“Pleased to meet you, Queen Bee. I’m Marinette.”

“I don’t care who you are.”

This creature was a lot less friendly than the last two she’d met. Marinette didn’t dislike many people, but she was quickly forming a negative opinion of this one. What if Prince Adrien was as bratty and entitled as the duchess?

“Well, aren’t you charming.” Marinette’s words dripped with sarcasm.

“I am, actually. And beautiful. Before all of the awfulness happened, I was betrothed to marry Prince Adrien. I should have been queen. Then that awful wizard cursed the kingdom and the king went mad with grief. I was banished, simply for trying to see my precious Adri-kins. It’s ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!”

She tried to find empathy in Queen Bee’s words, but this was the rant of a selfish duchess denied her chance to reign. In spite of that, Marinette still felt sorry for her. She had been cast out from her home and forced to live as an insect, after all. That would make anyone bitter.

“I’m here to rescue the prince,” Marinette told Queen Bee.

She harrumphed. “You? Of all the heroes in the world, that buffoon Fu chose  _ you _ ? Ridiculous.”

Bristling at the insult to both the kindly Mr Fu and herself, Marinette had to force herself to stay calm. “He must have seen something in me, or I wouldn’t be here.”

“Fu sees a lot of things. Says a lot of things, too. I doubt half of it is true. You do know that King Gabriel has protected himself from all outsiders? After the moat and high walls, there are guard peacocks and soldiers that he has enchanted to do his bidding. There’s only one way up to the tower, and that’s guarded at all times.”

Marinette frowned. What  _ did _ Fu see in her? How was she going to get past all of these defences? “How do I get into the tower?”

“The Prince is supplied with meals, three times a day. The food goes from the kitchens below, through a pulley to an opening in Adri-kins’s room. It’s a tiny space, mind you, I doubt you could fit in. I did, of course, but I was caught before I could reach the tower.” The bee was becoming effusive, she was clearly enjoying this show. “My butler, Jean-something was meant to pull the rope to lift me through the floor, but he was under the king’s control. That idiot, after all I had done for him.”

“I could disguise myself as one of the scullery maids and sneak in when the kitchen is quiet,” Marinette thought out loud.

“It’s the part you were born to play: servant girl.”

Suppressing the desire to flick Queen Bee off her branch and into the undergrowth, Marinette considered her plan. It could work. If she could get past the other defences before daybreak, she could find the kitchen and climb up to the tower before any of the cooks were up to make breakfast. 

“I’m bored.” Queen Bee flopped dramatically on her branch. “You’re not very interesting. I’m going to go now.”

“Wait,” Marinette called out. “Before you go. Thank you for your help.”

“You’re going to need it.” As the bee spread her wings, preparing to fly away, she paused. “You really will need help. Take this, it will stop the guards in their tracks.”

Marinette felt a tingling on her head. She raised a hand to the spot and found an ornate comb in her hair. The gemstones and precious metals were cool to the touch. “Thank you, Chloé.”

“Just, keep Adrien safe, okay?” Queen Bee flew off, buzzing as she went. Marinette watched her go, hoping that the human version of Chloé was less spikey than the bee one. 

Night was falling, the sun was now a pink-orange stripe across the horizon. Marinette checked on Tikki, who was laying contentedly under an oak tree. With a wave of enormous gratitude towards the mare, Marinette stroked her mane until she fell asleep. Then, she wrapped her cloak around herself and found a dry grassy spot to rest her own weary body on. Within minutes, Marinette, too, was fast asleep.

⭒*⭒*⭒

In the highest tower in the palace, Prince Adrien gazed across the landscape, enjoying the beauty of the sunset. Beside him, his only friend, Plagg, feasted on the cheese Adrien had saved from his dinner plates. The stray cat had somehow found a way into the tower when nobody else could, then never left. Adrien was glad for the company and often felt like Plagg could understand what he was saying. Without another heartbeat with him in that tower, he’d have lost hope years ago, Plagg gave him the strength to carry on and faith that someone would rescue him. 

In just two days, he would turn 16. He would be old enough to claim his throne from his father. Yet, he was trapped, unable to take his rightful place and rule his kingdom. Unable to help his subjects. If he couldn’t get free before his birthday, he knew, all was lost.

Adrien looked down to his cat, now licking cheese from his paws. “How am I going to get out of here in time, Plagg? Without something miraculous to save me, I'll be here forever.”


End file.
